STATESBORO — Distinguished UT Martin lineman and All-American Alex Atkins joins Georgia Southern as the Eagles’ offensive line coach, announced GSU coach Willie Fritz on Monday. The addition of Atkins completes the Eagles’ coaching staff for Fritz, who was named the program’s head coach earlier this year.

Atkins arrives at GSU after two years as the offensive line coach for Chattanooga. The Mocs made improvements in 2012 in the major offensive categories from the previous year and had more success again in 2013.

In 2013, the Mocs’ offensive line was one of the critical factors in Chattanooga quarterback Jacob Huesman winning the league’s Offensive Player of the Year award. UTC posted eight wins during the 2013 campaign with six SoCon wins, most since joining the conference in 1977. Senior Kevin Revis, a 2013 first-team All-Southern Conference selection, became the second-straight Chattanooga offensive lineman honored after Adam Miller was a pick of the league’s media association in 2012.

A 2007 UT Martin graduate with a degree in history, Atkins began his coaching career at his alma mater where he worked with offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield, then later reuniting with him at Chattanooga. He was promoted to the position of tight ends coach in January of 2008 after serving for a year as the Skyhawks’ offensive assistant.

He spent the 2009 season as a graduate assistant working with the offensive line and tight ends at Marshall prior to moving to Mississippi. Atkins accepted the position as the offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Itawamba (Miss.) Community College.

Kalu led the Tigers in scoring with a 16.3-point average during the regular season while helping SSU improve from seven wins during the 2012-13 season to 18 this season after an 82-71 victory over Morgan State in the first-round Women’s MEAC basketball tournament. She was seventh overall in scoring in the league this season.

NATIONAL

Hoops coach Capel fired by App. State

BOONE, N.C. — Jason Capel has been let go after four seasons at Appalachian State.

Athletic director Charlie Cobb said Monday that the school will not renew his contract.

Capel is in the final year of a four-year deal that expires at the end of March. The former North Carolina player — whose brother Jeff is on Duke’s staff — was the youngest coach in Division I when he was hired in 2010. The Mountaineers went 9-21 this season, were 5-11 in their final season in the Southern Conference and were eliminated in their league tournament opener by Samford. They went 53-70 in four seasons under Capel.

INTERNATIONAL

Murray, Federer win at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Andy Murray outlasted Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-4 on Monday in his second straight three-set match at the BNP Paribas Open.

The fifth-seeded Scotsman had his hands full playing for the first time against Vesely, who at age 20 is the youngest in the top 100 of the ATP Tour rankings and was competing in his first Masters 1000 event.